Ski brake



NN NN ATTORNEYS Get; E7, 1944.

H. W. VARNER SKI BRAKE Filed Aug. 25, 1941 e. Patented Oct. 17, 1944 t Harry Wesley Varner, Princ'e`Rupeit,'British Columbia, Canada Application August 25, 1941, Serial No. 408,240

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in brake attachments for skis.

An important object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a ski which will act as ya brake to prevent the wearer of the skis from sliding backward when climbing hills.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel means for retaining the attachment in inoperative position when gliding forward on the skis.

The invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim. Y

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote Ilike or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ski showing the improved attachment applied thereto. s

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the rear end portion of the blade of the ski showing the brake attachment in inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the ski and illustrating the position of the attachment in use.

Difculty is sometimes experienced by the wearers of skis when ascending an incline or hill due to the tendency of the skis to slide rearwardly. The present invention has been designed to prevent this rearward sliding movement as the wearer ascends an incline or hill.

v Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, a ski of conventional construction is generally designated by the reference numeral 5, the forward end of which inclines upwardly as indicated at while the rearward end I is relatively flat. The ski further includes a means 8 for securely attaching the shoe 5.of the wearer in a manner to assure safety in use.

'Ihe brake attachment, in accordance with the present invention, is generally designated in the several views by the reference numeral I and includes an elongated member II formed of metal or other suitable material that is attached by means of screws, or similar fasteners I2, to the top surface of the rear end of the ski 5. As best shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, the member (Cl. T280-11.13)

` II projects slightly beyond the rear edge of the ski and is formed with a looped tab I3 adapted to receive a hinge pin I4.

A substantially rectangular shaped plate I5 is hingedly secured to the member II, one edge of said plate being formed with spaced looped tabs I6 which align with the looped tab I3, a pin I4 being disposed through the tabs I3 and I6 rel spectively, for hingedly mounting the plate to the ski. By this construction, the plate I5 is yfree to swing on its hingeto assume a position atsubstantially right angles to the ski as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing as the wearer ascends an incline or hill. In this position, the plate will become imbedded in the snow thereby precluding rearward sliding movement. As the ski is lifted by the wearer during walking movement, the plate I5 will, of course, be raised from the snow and may be caused to assume a substantially horizontal position due to its loose hinge connection.

If desired, the rear edge of the ski may be provided with spaced pins I1, against which the plate abuts when in a substantially vertical position, said pins aiding in eliminating the packing of snow between the plate and the ski.

In acordance with the present invention, addit tional means have been provided for retaining the plate I5 in the inoperative position shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, in which position said plate will be resting in a plane parallel to the top surface of the ski and the member II. This means comprises a coil spring I8, the looped mid portion I9 thereof extending forwardly toward the rear end of the ski. The coil spring I8 is formed of a single length of wire, the ends 20 of which are retained beneath the member II and after formation of the coil I 8 said ends extend forwardly substantially parallel as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The mid portion I9 is raised against the tension of the coil spring I8 for releasing the plate I5 from the position shown in Figures 2 and 3. As is to be understood, with the parallel portions ZI of the coil spring I8 resting against the plate I5, said plate will be securely locked in an linoperative position.

The edge 22 of the platev I5 is pointed and preferably curves downwardly and inwardly for engagement with the snow or ice and to become imbedded therein to thereby prevent rearward slipping of the ski when ascending a grade.

With the brake plate I5 in the inoperative position shown in Figures 2 and 3, normal use of may be made therein as do not affect the spirit Il the ski in descending an incline or slope is readily of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A brake attachment for skis, comprising an elongated member secured to the top face of a ski and provided with a. looped tab beyond the rear edge of the ski, a plate hingedly attached to said tab and adapted to be disposed at right angles to said member when braking said ski, and a, coil spring having its free ends clamped to the face of the ski by the elongated member and provided with a looped intermediate portion engaging the plate for holding it in an inoperative position on the ski.

HARRY WESLEY VARNER. 

